No. 122: Robin Hood and the Butcher
[There is one known traditional US version of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote (Added at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A and Ba-d. (The changes to make texts B b-d are found in End-Notes)
5. Endnotes
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 122. Robin Hood and the Butcher
A. Roud No. 3980: Robin Hood and the Butcher (10 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson's traditional music versions and other versions)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A and Ba-d. with additional notes)]
4. US & Canadian Versions (one version from George Boswell Collection: Herbert Roake, Clarksville TN in 1950)
Child's Narrative: Robin Hood and the Butcher
A. 'Robin Hood and the Butcher,' Percy Manuscript, p. 7; Hales and Furnivall, I, 19.
B. 'Robin Hood and the Butcher.'
a. Wood, 401, 19 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 6.
c. Garland of 1670, No 5.
d. Pepys, II, 102, No 89.
Other copies, of the second class, are in the Roxburghe collection, III, 259, and the Douce collection, III, 114. B a was printed, with changes, by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 23; a copy resembling the Douce by Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 106.
The story is a variation of Robin Hood and the Potter. According to A, the sheriff of Nottingham has resolved to have Robin's head. A butcher is driving through the forest, and his dog flies at Robin, for which Robin kills the dog. The butcher undertakes to let a little of the yeoman's blood for this, and there is a bout between staff and sword, in which we know that the butcher must bear himself well, though just here the first of three considerable gaps occurs. Robin buys the butcher's stock, changes clothes with him, and goes to Nottingham to market his flesh. There he takes up his lodging at the sheriff's, having perhaps conciliated the sheriff's wife with the present of a fine joint. He sells at so low a rate that his stock is all gone before any one else has sold a bit. The butchers ask him to drink, and Robin makes an appointment with them at the sheriff's. A second gap deprives us of the knowledge of what passes here, but we infer that, as in B, Robin is so reckless of his money that the sheriff thinks he can make a good bargain in horned beasts with him. Robin is ready; we see that he has come with a well-formed plan. The next day the sheriff goes to view the livestock, and is taken into the depth of the forest; it turns out that the wild deer are the butcher's horned beasts. Robin's men come in at the sound of his horn; the sheriff is lightened of all his money, and is told that his head is spared only for his wife's sake. All this the sheriff tells his wife, on his return, and she replies that he has been served rightly for not tarrying at home, as she had begged him to do. The sheriff says he has learned wisdom, and will meddle no more with Robin Hood.
B a omits the brush between Robin and the butcher, mostly wanting, indeed, in A also, but only because of the damage which the manuscript has suffered.
The passage in which the sheriff is inveigled into Robin's haunts has, as already mentioned, close affinity with the Gest, 181 ff.
The first three stanzas of A would not be missed, and apparently belong to some other ballad.[1]
B a is signed T. R., as is also Robin Hood and the Beggar in two editions, and these we may suppose to be the initials of the person who wrote the story over with middle rhyme in the third line of the stanza, a peculiarity which distinguishes a group of ballads which were sung to the tune of Robin Hood and the Stranger: see Robin Hood and Little John, No 125, and also No 128.
Footnote: 1. Fricke, Die Robin-Hood-Balladen, p. 20 f, suggests a ballad of Robin Hood and the Sheriff (How Robin took revenge for the sheriff's setting a price on his head), which may have been blended with another, of the Rescue of a Knight, to form the sixth fit of The Gest; and points to st. 329 of the Gest, 'Robyn Hode walked in the forest,' etc., as the probable beginning of such a ballad.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
This story is a variation of 'Robin Hood and the Potter' (No. 121). There are three considerable gaps in the manuscript of A; but B enables us to complete the story. The passage in which the Sheriff is inveigled into Robin's haunts has close affinity with the Gest, sts. 181 ff. The first three stanzas of A apparently belong to some other ballad. B a is signed T. R., as is No. 133 in two editions. These appear to be the initials of the person who wrote the story over with middle rhyme in the third line of the stanza, a peculiarity which distinguishes a group of ballads sung to the tune of 'Robin Hood and the Stranger' (see Introduction to No. 125).
Child's Ballad Texts
'Robin Hood and the Butcher'- Version A; Child 122; Robin Hood and the Butcher
Percy Manuscript, p. 7; Hales and Furnivall, I, 19.
1 But Robin he walkes in the g[reene] forrest,
As merry as bird on boughe,
But he that feitches good Robins head,
Hee'le find him game enoughe.
2 But Robine he walkes in the greene forrest,
Vnder his trusty-tree;
Sayes, Hearken, hearken, my merrymen all,
What tydings is come to me.
3 The sheriffe he hath made a cry,
Hee'le have my head i-wis;
But ere a tweluemonth come to an end
I may chance to light on his.
4 Robin he marcht in the greene forrest,
Vnder the greenwood scray,
And there he was ware of a proud bucher,
Came driuing flesh by the way.
5 The bucher he had a cut-taild dogg,
And at Robins face he flew;
But Robin he was a good sword,
The bucher's dogg he slew.
6 'Why slayes thou my dogg?' sayes the bucher,
'For he did none ill to thee;
By all the saints that are in heaven
Thou shalt haue buffetts three.'
7 He tooke his staffe then in his hand,
And he turnd him round about:
'Thou hast a litle wild blood in thy head,
Good fellow, thou'st haue it letten out.'
8 'He that does that deed,' sayes Robin,
'I'le count him for a man;
But that while will I draw my sword,
And fend it if I can.'
9 But Robin he stroke att the bloudy bucher,
In place were he did stand,
* * * * *
10 'I [am] a younge bucher,' sayes Robin,
'You fine dames am I come amonge;
But euer I beseech you, good Mrs. Sheriffe,
You must see me take noe wronge.'
11 'Thou art verry welcome,' said Master Sherriff's wiffe,
'Thy inne heere up [to] take;
If any good fellow come in thy companie,
Hee'st be welcome for thy sake.'
12 Robin called for ale, soe did he for wine,
And for it he did pay:
'I must to my markett goe,' says Robin,
'For I hold time itt of the day.'
13 But Robin is to the markett gone,
Soe quickly and beliue,
He sold more flesh for one peny
Then othe[r] buchers did for fiue.
14 The drew about the younge bucher,
Like sheepe into a fold;
Yea neuer a bucher had sold a bitt
Till Robin he had all sold.
15 When Robin Hood had his markett made,
His flesh was sold and gone;
Yea he had receiued but a litle mony,
But thirty pence and one.
16 Seaven buchers, the garded Robin Hood,
Ffull many time and oft;
Sayes, We must drinke with you, brother bucher,
It's custome of our crafte.
17 'If that be the custome of your crafte,
As heere you tell to me.
Att four of the clocke in the afternoone
At the sheriffs hall I wilbe.'
* * * * *
18 . . . .
'If thou doe like it well;
Yea heere is more by three hundred pound
Then thou hast beasts to sell.'
19 Robyn sayd naught, the more he thought:
'Mony neere comes out of time;
If once I catch thee in the greene forest,
That mony it shall be mine.'
20 But on the next day seuen butchurs
Came to guard the sheriffe that day;
But Robin he was the whigh[t]est man,
He led them all the way.
21 He led them into the greene forest,
Vnder the trusty tree;
Yea, there were harts, and ther were hynds,
and staggs with heads full high.
22 Yea, there were harts and there were hynds,
And many a goodly fawne;
'Now praised be God,' says bold Robin,
'All these they be my owne.
23 'These are my horned beasts,' says Robin,
'Master Sherriffe, which must make the stake;'
'But euer alacke, now,' said the sheriffe,
'That tydings comes to late!'
24 Robin sett a shrill horne to his mouth,
And a loud blast he did blow,
And then halfe a hundred bold archers
Came rakeing on a row.
25 But when the came befor bold Robin,
Even there the stood all bare:
'You are welcome, master, from Nottingham:
How haue you sold your ware?'
* * * * *
26 . . . .
. . . .
. . . .
It proues bold Robin Hood.
27 'Yea, he hath robbed me of all my gold
And siluer that euer I had;
But that I had a verry good wife at home,
I shold haue lost my head.
28 'But I had a verry good wife at home,
Which made him gentle cheere,
And therfor, for my wifes sake,
I shold haue better favor heere.
29 'But such favor as he shewed me
I might haue of the devills dam,
That will rob a man of all he hath,
And send him naked home.'
30 'That is very well done,' then dsays his wiffe,
'Itt is well done, I say;
You might haue tarryed att Nottingham,
Soe fayre as I did you pray.'
31 'I haue learned wisdome,' sayes the sherriffe,
'And, wife, I haue learned of thee;
But if Robin walke easte, or he walke west,
He shall neuer be sought for me.'
----------
'Robin Hood and the Butcher'- Version B a; Child 122; Robin Hood and the Butcher
a. Wood, 401, leaf 19 b.
b.Garland of 1663, No 6.
c. Garland of 1670, No 5.
d. Pepys, II, 102, No 89.
1 Come, all you brave gallants, and listen a while,
With hey down, down, an a down
That are in the bowers within;
For of Robin Hood, that archer good,
A song I intend for to sing.
2 Upon a time it chanced so
Bold Robin in forrest did spy
A jolly butcher, with a bonny fine mare,
With his flesh to the market did hye.
3 'Good morrow, good fellow,' said jolly Robin,
'What food hast? tell unto me;
And thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell,
For I like well thy company.'
4 The butcher he answered jolly Robin:
No matter where I dwell;
For a butcher I am, and to Notingham
I am going, my flesh to sell.
5 'What is [the] price of thy flesh?' said jolly Robin,
'Come, tell it soon unto me;
And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear,
For a butcher fain would I be.'
6 'The price of my flesh,' the butcher repli'd,
'I soon will tell unto thee;
With my bonny mare, and they are not dear,
Four mark thou must give unto me.'
7 'Four mark I will give thee,' saith jolly Robin,
'Four mark it shall be thy fee;
Thy mony come count, and let me mount,
For a butcher I fain would be.'
8 Now Robin is to Notingham gone,
His butcher's trade for to begin;
With good intent, to the sheriff he went,
And there he took up his inn.
9 When other butchers they opened their meat,
Bold Robin he then begun;
But how for to sell he knew not well,
For a butcher he was but young.
10 When other butchers no meat could sell,
Robin got both gold and fee;
For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for three.
11 But when he sold his meat so fast,
No butcher by him could thrive;
For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for five.
12 Which made the butchers of Notingham
To study as they did stand,
Saying, surely he was some prodigal,
That had sold his father's land.
13 The butchers they stepped to jolly Robin,
Acquainted with him for to be;
'Come, brother,' one said, 'we be all of one trade,
Come, will you go dine with me?'
14 'Accurst of his heart,' said jolly Robin,
'That a butcher doth deny;
I will go with you, my brethren true,
And as fast as I can hie.'
15 But when to the sheriff's house they came,
To dinner they hied apace,
And Robin he the man must be
Before them all to say grace.
16 'Pray God bless us all,' said jolly Robin,
'And our meat within this place;
A cup of sack so good will nourish our blood,
And so do I end my grace.
17 'Come fill us more wine,' said jolly Robin,
'Let us merry be while we do stay;
For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear,
I vow I the reckning will pay.
18 'Come, brother[s], be merry,' said jolly Robin,
'Let us drink, and never give ore;
For the shot I will pay, ere I go my way,
If it cost me five pounds and more.'
19 'This is a mad blade,' the butchers then said;
Saies the sheriff, He is some prodigal,
That some land has sold, for silver and gold,
And now he doth mean to spend all.
20 'Hast thou any horn-beasts,' the sheriff repli'd,
'Good fellow, to sell unto me?'
'Yes, that I have, good Master Sheriff,
I have hundreds two or three.
21 'And a hundred aker of good free land,
If you please it to see;
And I'le make you as good assurance of it
As ever my father made me.'
22 The sheriff he saddled a good palfrey,
With three hundred pound in gold,
And away he went with bold Robin Hood,
His horned beasts to behold.
23 Away then the sheriff and Robin did ride,
To the forrest of merry Sherwood;
Then the sheriff did say, God bless us this day
From a man they call Robin Hood!
24 But when that a little further they came,
Bold Robin he chanced to spy
A hundred head of good red deer,
Come tripping the sheriff full nigh.
25 'How like you my hornd beasts, good Master Sheriff;
They be fat and fair for to see;'
'I tell thee, good fellow, I would I were gone,
For I like not thy company.'
26 Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,
And blew but blasts three;
Then quickly anon there came Little John,
And all his company.
27 'What is your will?' then said Little John,
'Good master come tell it to me;'
'I have brought hither the sheriff of Notingham,
This day to dine with thee.'
28 'He is welcome to me,' then said Little John,
'I hope he will honestly pay;
I know he has gold, if it be but well told,
Will serve us to drink a whole day.'
29 Then Robin took his mantle from his back,
And laid it upon the ground,
And out of the sheriffe['s] portmantle
He told three hundred pound.
30 Then Robin he brought him thorow the wood,
And set him on his dapple gray:
'O have me commended to your wife at home;'
So Robin went laughing away.
End-Notes
Robin Hood and the Butcher
A. 12. bughe.
13. d in head has a tag to it: Furnivall.
64. 3. After 92, 174, 254, half a page gone.
134,5. 154. 304. 173. 4. 183. 3003. [304 and 3003 unclear]
193. cacth: in thy.
201. 7.
243. 100d.
283. pro for for.
B. a. Robin Hood and the Butcher. To the Tune of Robin Hood and the Begger.
At the end, T.R.
Colophon. London. Printed for F. Grove on Snow Hill. F. Grove printed 1620-55: Chappell.
124. hath sold.
b. Robin Hood and the Butcher; shewing how he robbed the sheriff of Nottingham. To the Tune of Robin Hood and the Begger.
42. I do.
51. What is price.
104, 114. Then.
121. when misprinted for made.
124. had sold.
181. brother.
183. go on.
193. hath sold.
211. And an.
214. to me.
251. Sheriff wanting.
274. with me.
293. sheriffs.
c. Title as in b.
2, 8, and after 8, burden: a hey.
51. is ye.
104, 114. Then.
124. had sold.
172. do wanting.
181. brother.
183. go on.
184. costs.
193. hath sold.
212. it please.
213. you wanting.
214. did me.
243. red wanting.
272. pray tell.
293. sheriffs.
d. Robin Hood and the Butcher. To the Tune of Robin Hood and the Beggar.
Colophon. Printed for I. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger. 1670-86 (?).
Burden. From 21 on, With a hey (not With hey). Also after the fourth line, With a hey, &c.
11. ye.
12. this bower.
14. for wanting.
22. in the.
51. What's the.
52. be it.
73. The.
83. a good.
91. butchers did open.
104. Then.
124. hath sold.
133. of a.
142. will deny.
153. Robin Hood.
164. do wanting.
172. be merry.
181. brothers.
184. pound or.
201. thou wanting: hornd: sheriff then said.
211. A hundred acres.
222. And with.
223. And wanting.
262. blew out.
271. will master said.
272. I pray you come.
273. hither wanting.
281. then wanting.
283. were it but.
294. five for three, wrongly, see 222.
301. he wanting: through.